Hypericum plant named ‘Esm Chocola’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hypericum  plant named ‘Esm Chocola’, characterized by its upright, symmetrical and long flowering stems; moderately vigorous growth habit; uniform and freely flowering habit; uniform and high density of fruits; spherical brown-colored fruits; and excellent post-production longevity.

Botanical designation: Hypericum hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Esm Chocola’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHypericum plant, botanically known as Hypericum hybrida and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Esm Chocola’.

The new Hypericum plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador. Theobjective of the breeding program is to create new Hypericum plants withgood density, compact inflorescences and good productivity.

The new Hypericum plant originated from a cross-pollination in August,2003 in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador of a proprietary selection ofHypericum hybrida identified as Line 124, not patented, as the female,or seed parent with a proprietary selection of Hypericum hybridaidentified as Line 113, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent.The new Hypericum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as asingle flowering plant within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled environment in El Quinche, Pichincha,Ecuador in June, 2004.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by vegetative cuttings in ElQuinche, Pichincha, Ecuador, since July, 2004, has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Hypericum plant are stable and reproduced true totype in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Hypericum have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Esm Chocola’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Esm Chocola’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofHypericum:

-   -   1. Upright, symmetrical and long flowering stems.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Uniform and freely flowering habit; uniform and high density        of fruits.    -   4. Spherical brown-colored fruits.    -   5. Excellent post-production longevity.

Plants of the new Hypericum differ from plants of the female parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hypericum are shorter than plants of the        female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Hypericum flower later than plants of the        female parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Hypericum and the female parent selection        differ in fruit shape and color as plants of the female parent        selection have ovoid red-colored fruits.    -   4. Plants of the new Hypericum have longer post-production        longevity than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Hypericum differ from plants of the male parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hypericum are shorter than plants of the        male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Hypericum and the male parent selection        differ in fruit shape and color as plants of the male parent        selection have ovoid red-colored fruits.    -   3. Plants of the new Hypericum have longer post-production        longevity than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Hypericum can be compared to plants of the Hypericum‘Excellent Flair’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons in ElQuinche, Pichincha, Ecuador, plants of the new Hypericum differed fromplants of ‘Excellent Flair’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hypericum were shorter, broader and had        shorter internodes than plants of ‘Excellent Flair’.    -   2. Plants of the new Hypericum had stronger stems than plants of        ‘Excellent Flair’.    -   3. Plants of the new Hypericum flowered later than plants of        ‘Excellent Flair’.    -   4. Plants of the new Hypericum had spherical fruits whereas        plants of ‘Excellent Flair’ had ovoid fruits.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Hypericum plant, showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe actual colors of the new Hypericum plant.

The photograph at the top left of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical stem of ‘Esm Chocola’ with mature fruits.

The photograph at the bottom left of the sheet is a close-up view oftypical fruits of ‘Esm Chocola’.

The photographs at the top right and center right of the sheet areclose-up views of typical fruits.

The photograph at the bottom right of the sheet is a close-up view ofthe upper and lower surfaces of typical leaves.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following descriptionwere grown under conditions which closely approximate commercialproduction conditions in an outdoor nursery in El Quinche, Pichincha,Ecuador. During the production of the plants, day temperatures rangedfrom 11° C. to 28° C., night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to averaged11° C. Plants were pinched four weeks after planting and were six monthsold when the photographs and the description were taken. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Hypericum hybrida ‘Esm Chocola’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Hypericum            hybrida identified as Line 124, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Hypericum            hybrida identified as Line 113, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About seven to ten days at 22° C. to            30° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About four to five            weeks at 22° C. to 30° C.        -   Root description.—Medium thickness, fibrous; color close to            200D.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Perennial woody shrub typically grown as a cut            flower-type Hypericum; upright, symmetrical and long            flowering stems; moderately vigorous growth habit; basally            branching habit with about six flowering stems developing            per plant per year.        -   Plant height.—About 90 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 40 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 85 cm. Diameter:            About 6 mm. Internode length: About 4 cm. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 166A to N170A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 6 cm.        -   Width.—About 4 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Obtuse to retuse.        -   Base.—Truncate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Glabrous; leathery;            rugose.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A to            139A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 139A; venation,            close to 145B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 147B; venation, 146D.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and shape.—Bright yellow-colored single            flowers arranged in terminal compound umbels; freely            flowering habit with about nine flowers per inflorescence;            flowers face mostly upright.        -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Year-round in Ecuador; plants            begin flowering about 19 weeks after planting.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about three to four days on            the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.            Shape: Globose. Color: Close to 15A, towards the base, close            to 10A.        -   Inflorescence size.—Length: About 12 cm. Diameter: About 12            cm.        -   Flowers.—Diameter: About 3 cm. Depth (height): About 1.4 cm.        -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five in a single whorl.            Length: About 1.3 cm. Width: About 1 cm. Shape: Oval. Apex:            Obtuse. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Glabrous, smooth; papery. Aspect: Incurved,            concave. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 14B.            When opening, lower surface: Close to 12A. Fully opened,            upper surface: Close to 14A; color becoming close to 17A            with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 9A.        -   Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five in a single whorl; three            larger than the other two. Length: About 7 mm to 8 mm.            Width: About 4 mm to 6 mm. Shape: Ovate to elliptic. Apex:            Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Glabrous, smooth. Color: When opening, upper            surface: Close to 146A; towards the base, close to 53B. When            opening, lower surface: Close to 146C; towards the base,            close to N34A. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 137A.            Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 146A.        -   Peduncles.—Strength: Strong. Length: About 5 cm. Diameter:            About 6 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 182B            to N167B.        -   Pedicels.—Strength: Strong. Length: About 1.1 cm. Diameter:            About 2 mm. Aspect: About 41° from the stem axis. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 187B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower:            About 130. Anther shape: Reniform. Anther length: About            1 mm. Anther color: Close to 14A. Pollen amount: Abundant.            Pollen color: Close to 14B. Pistils: Quantity per flower:            Single pistil with three stigmas. Pistil length: About 1 cm.            Stigma shape: Circular. Stigma color: Close to 59A. Style            length: About 5 mm. Style color: Close to 151D. Ovary color:            Close to 150B.        -   Fruits.—Length: About 1.1 cm. Diameter: About 1.1 cm. Shape:            Roughly spherical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Post-production longevity: Fruits last for about 15 days as            a cut stem. Color: Close to 183A; towards the base, close to            144A.        -   Seeds.—Length: About 0.1 mm. Diameter: About 0.03 mm. Color:            Close to 200C.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Hypericum have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Hypericum.-   Weather/temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Hypericum have been    observed to tolerate wind, rain and temperatures ranging from about    5° C. to about 30° C.

1. A new and distinct Hypericum plant named ‘Esm Chocola’ as illustratedand described.